Fort Ord Reuse Authority takes initial steps for special election

The Fort Ord Reuse Authority approved an agreement Wednesday for Monterey County to validate the signatures in an increasingly contentious petition battle.

The move is the result of two rival initiatives concerning 540 acres on the former military base.

The authority is required to pay for the countywide election because the state considers it the decision-making body for the land.

Initial estimates for the county put the cost for the taxpayer-funded authority at $1 million.

The agreement with the county Registrar of Voters approved Wednesday did not disclose the cost, but FORA Executive Officer Michael Houlemard said the county would give "a fair price." The Board of Supervisors must approve the partnership.

Houlemard said they will need to decide who will run the election, the county or some other group, if and when the time comes.

John Hutcherson of Monterey asked the board "whose hand" the petitions would be in and who would verify their safe transfer to the county.

The Secure the Promise group, which wants to keep land near the proposed veterans cemetery open for development, turned in more than 20,000 signatures — 3,000 more than needed — for their petition last week. The Fort Ord Access Alliance, which wants to restrict development in favor of preserving open space, is collecting signatures.

"We have those under lock and key at (FORA)," Houlemard said of turned-in petitions. "We are ensuring that they are secure. They will be transported by FORA and delivered directly to the register of Voters under secure means."

LeVonne Stone, of the Fort Ord Environmental Justice Network, said she was frustrated by petitioners in Seaside, Monterey and Salinas whom she claimed had unclear information.

"I don't know why we would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to vote on something here the local people were really not involved in," she said.

The board reviewed an agreement with attorney Steven G. Churchwell of Sacramento-based Churchwell White law firm to assist election issues. His contract is not to exceed $25,000.

FORA agreed in its contract with his firm to pay hourly $395 for partners, $250 for associates and $125 for paralegals.